Avast! AV Not Being Recognised in Win 7 Action Centre

system · 2015-08-31T14:07:00.000Z

After doing some research this problem with the Action Centre isn’t unknown with Avast! or other AV’s. I don’t need the Action Centre to tell me if Avast! isn’t working as it appears capable of doing that itself anyway. Avast! seems to be running and updating fine.

system · 2015-08-31T14:08:34.000Z

Pondus post:4:

if you google it you will see it is not only avast …

Yeah, thanks, I’ve discovered it’s a known MS bug. Avast! is working fine anyway. ;D

DavidR · 2015-08-31T14:50:04.000Z

As has been said this is a common issue with the WAC (and previously the WSC) and relates to issues with the WMI.

See http://windowsxp.mvps.org/repairwmi.htm, this also mentions Vista, so that may be valid for win7.
For Windows 7 also see Win7 WMI Repair

system · 2015-08-31T15:08:25.000Z

OK thanks. AFAIK I’m not getting any other system information errors, it is just with Avast!. Avira users have reported the same thing. I think I can live with Avast! not being recognised in the Action Centre. Avast! itself doesn’t seem to mind as it is working perfectly as far as I can tell.

CraigB · 2015-08-31T15:21:45.000Z

You should be able to get it recognised simply by disabling the Avast shields then re-enable via right clicking the Avast taskbar icon.

system · 2015-08-31T15:38:38.000Z

CraigB post:9:

You should be able to get it recognised simply by disabling the Avast shields then re-enable via right clicking the Avast taskbar icon.

OK thanks. As I already have browser hardening and anti-malware installed I only needed a minimal install of Avast! so I didn’t include the shields in the custom install I made.

http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo307/Davebucket17/AvastShields1_zpstwqirrcz.jpg

So, this may explain why this is happening. At the end of the day, I can live with the Action Centre not recognising Avast!.

system · 2015-08-31T17:33:11.000Z

Problem resolved!

I activated the file shield and now Action Centre recognises Avast!

http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo307/Davebucket17/avastfileshield_zpszdkbglqb.jpg

http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo307/Davebucket17/avaston_zpsxcu8d8kn.jpg

bob3160 · 2015-08-31T19:09:08.000Z

It wasn’t an Action Center error after all.

system · 2015-08-31T19:55:11.000Z

bob3160 post:12:

It wasn’t an Action Center error after all.

Well, it depends on how you look at it I suppose. The Action Centre didn’t recognise Avast! as a minimal install which had had no shields added during the install itself. I actually went into Programs and Features to change this and checked the box to install the File Shield. Avast! ran perfectly well without the shields at all and scanned on-demand, updated and was fine. It’s just that Win 7 x64’s Action Centre didn’t recognise any AV until I added the File Shield later. Either way, an anti-virus program had been installed on my computer but MS couldn’t recognise it without an active file shield. Which is a bit weird if you ask me.

bob3160 · 2015-08-31T20:11:59.000Z

daveweb post:13:

bob3160 post:12:

It wasn’t an Action Center error after all.

Well, it depends on how you look at it I suppose. The Action Centre didn’t recognise Avast! as a minimal install which had had no shields added during the install itself. I actually went into Programs and Features to change this and checked the box to install the File Shield. Avast! ran perfectly well without the shields at all and scanned on-demand, updated and was fine. It’s just that Win 7 x64’s Action Centre didn’t recognise any AV until I added the File Shield later. Either way, an anti-virus program had been installed on my computer but MS couldn’t recognise it without an active file shield. Which is a bit weird if you ask me.

In your case, the Action Center simply informed you that you were not fully protected.
By not having all of the shield active, that was definitely correct.

system · 2015-08-31T20:57:33.000Z

bob3160 post:14:

daveweb post:13:

bob3160 post:12:

It wasn’t an Action Center error after all.

Well, it depends on how you look at it I suppose. The Action Centre didn’t recognise Avast! as a minimal install which had had no shields added during the install itself. I actually went into Programs and Features to change this and checked the box to install the File Shield. Avast! ran perfectly well without the shields at all and scanned on-demand, updated and was fine. It’s just that Win 7 x64’s Action Centre didn’t recognise any AV until I added the File Shield later. Either way, an anti-virus program had been installed on my computer but MS couldn’t recognise it without an active file shield. Which is a bit weird if you ask me.

In your case, the Action Center simply informed you that you were not fully protected.
By not having all of the shield active, that was definitely correct.

It informed me that it could not detect any anti-virus program on my computer whatsoever. That’s not quite the same as informing me I was not fully protected.

The fact that I can choose to install Avast! without any real-time shields doesn’t render it inoperable or completely ineffective as an anti-virus program.

There is a distinct difference.

midnight · 2015-08-31T21:59:25.000Z

Why don’t you want to activate the web and mail shield? When you look at the action does it show what’s in my screenshot?

system · 2015-08-31T22:22:48.000Z

Probably not on mine, as I have Win 7. I have a jpeg of my Action Centre now displaying Avast! now running but unfortunately Photobucket are having a go slow day. >:(

system · 2015-08-31T22:24:34.000Z

-midnight post:16:

Why don’t you want to activate the web and mail shield? When you look at the action does it show what’s in my screenshot?

Because I don’t want them.

http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo307/Davebucket17/avastspyware1_zpsqedzm7fd.jpg

bob3160 · 2015-08-31T23:12:40.000Z

Sorry but going on the internet with the Avast Webshield turned off is very foolish.
Your computer, your choice. Certainly not something I would do or recommend.

system · 2015-08-31T23:42:48.000Z

bob3160 post:19:

Sorry but going on the internet with the Avast Webshield turned off is very foolish.
Your computer, your choice. Certainly not something I would do or recommend.

Sorry, but I disagree. I think your view of foolishness is highly subjective and not relevant to my situation or browsing habits. I try not to judge others.

bob3160 · 2015-09-01T12:24:43.000Z

daveweb post:20:

bob3160 post:19:

Sorry but going on the internet with the Avast Webshield turned off is very foolish.
Your computer, your choice. Certainly not something I would do or recommend.

Sorry, but I disagree. I think your view of foolishness is highly subjective and not relevant to my situation or browsing habits. I try not to judge others.

As I said, your computer, your choice but certainly not mine and not something I would recommend any one else to follow.

system · 2015-09-01T13:19:21.000Z

bob3160 post:21:

daveweb post:20:

bob3160 post:19:

Sorry but going on the internet with the Avast Webshield turned off is very foolish.
Your computer, your choice. Certainly not something I would do or recommend.

Sorry, but I disagree. I think your view of foolishness is highly subjective and not relevant to my situation or browsing habits. I try not to judge others.

As I said, your computer, your choice but certainly not mine and not something I would recommend any one else to follow.

Point taken Bob, but I survived for years without a URL filter and I employ various forms of browser hardening. In my experience URL filters (including Avast!'s) can cause problems and produce false positives. The beautiful thing about Avast! is that I can easily activate the URL filter when and if I decide I need it. Admittedly when I originally installed Avast! on this computer I was a bit overzealous in my attempt to pare it down to a useful light AV, when I originally didn’t install the file shield, but I have now ameliorated that. I ran MSE for over three years on this custom built Win 7 box without any infection and AFAIK that doesn’t have an integral URL filter. A URL filter is only one line in a defence strategy and I employ alternatives. With bloatware removed Avast! is a light and highly capable AV and it is nice to be given the choice of a custom install. I’m sure I’ll survive without a URL filter for the time being.

bob3160 · 2015-09-01T13:57:44.000Z

"A URL filter is only one line in a defence strategy "
Since 85% of all infections come directly from the internet, it’s also the most important part of your defense.
Again, Your Computer Your Choice. Not my choice and not something I would ever recommend to any one else.
At this point, the topic has been beaten to death. You do what you want and I’ll continue to recommend what’s safe.

system · 2015-09-01T14:52:16.000Z

bob3160 post:23:

"A URL filter is only one line in a defence strategy "
Since 85% of all infections come directly from the internet, it’s also the most important part of your defense.
Again, Your Computer Your Choice. Not my choice and not something I would ever recommend to any one else.
At this point, the topic has been beaten to death. You do what you want and I’ll continue to recommend what’s safe.

Yes, but Bob, you’re assuming that a URL filter is that effective at stopping the interesting and perhaps arbitrary figure of 85% infections, and it isn’t. I have other browser hardening filters employed and after four years of surfing with this particular computer without an infection I feel perfectly safe without a URL filter. I’m not recommending to anybody else, it’s just that I personally don’t need it. All I wanted was a light bloat-free AV with a proven efficacy. I have that with my custom install of Avast!.

Announcements